Presidente. – Il progetto definitivo di ordine del giorno, approvato dalla Conferenza dei presidenti, ai sensi dell’articolo 157 del regolamento, nella riunione di giovedì 11 luglio 2019, è stato distribuito. Sono state presentate le seguenti proposte di modifica:
Lunedì
Non sono proposte modifiche.
Martedì
Il gruppo GUE/NGL ha chiesto che la dichiarazione del Vicepresidente della Commissione/Alto rappresentante dell’Unione per gli affari esteri e la politica di sicurezza sulla situazione in Venezuela non si concluda con una risoluzione.
Idoia Villanueva Ruiz, en nombre del Grupo GUE/NGL. – Señor presidente, eurodiputadas, eurodiputados, en nombre del Grupo GUE/NGL, solicitamos que se retire del orden del día la Resolución sobre Venezuela. Mantengamos el debate si así lo creemos necesario, pero en un momento como el que estamos viviendo ahora mismo, con un nuevo proceso de diálogo impulsado por Noruega, donde todos los actores están implicados, donde las negociaciones avanzan —incluso el papa las ha apoyado—, este Parlamento tiene la oportunidad de dejar de hacer resoluciones, de no intentar injerir en la política de Venezuela y de mostrarse como un actor fundamental en la defensa del diálogo, en la defensa de la paz, y así poder ayudar, sin ninguna duda, por la única vía por la que conseguiremos una situación estable y beneficiosa para el pueblo de Venezuela.
Michael Gahler (PPE). – Mr President, on behalf of the EPP Group, I would like to reject this suggestion. We can, indeed, in our resolution, take up ongoing discussions and initiatives and welcome them, but we think that the situation is sufficiently dramatic and clear in this regard to enable us to make up our mind at this stage with the resolution we saw earlier. We are aware of the dramatic situation with millions of refugees that have left the country and also destabilising the neighbourhood. I think we can, and must, take a clear position on the situation there.
(Il Parlamento respinge la richiesta)
Mercoledì
Presidente. – Ho ricevuto dal gruppo GUE/NGL la richiesta che le dichiarazioni del Consiglio e della Commissione sulle relazioni Unione europea-Mercosur siano aggiunte come terzo punto all’ordine del giorno di mercoledì pomeriggio, dopo le dichiarazioni del Consiglio e della Commissione sulla zona di aria pulita nelle città dell’Unione europea.
Idoia Villanueva Ruiz, en nombre del Grupo GUE/NGL. – Señor presidente, de nuevo consideramos importante incluir, como punto en el orden del día del miércoles, el tratado del Mercosur, un tratado que ha estado negociándose desde hace más de veinte años de una manera opaca; un tratado que va a tener, sin ninguna duda, impacto en muchas organizaciones, en muchos países, en muchos agricultores —más de 33 000 agricultores sufrirán nuevas y duras consecuencias a raíz de este tratado—, y creemos que es muy importante que se dé ese debate el miércoles en este Parlamento.
Christophe Hansen (PPE). – Mr President, in the name of the European People’s Party (EPP), I would oppose adding this point to the agenda. The documents are just being published so we want to analyse them carefully. Commissioner Malmström announced her presence for next week at the Committee on International Trade (INTA) so we would like to reject this addition to the agenda.
(Il Parlamento respinge la richiesta)
Giovedì
Non sono proposte modifiche.
(L’ordine dei lavori è così fissato)
Chris Davies (Renew), Chair, European Parliament Committee on Fisheries. – Mr President, pursuant to Rule 184a, as Chair of the Committee on Fisheries, I want to point out that a British Member of this House, Robert Rowland, last week published the comment that, in the event of Brexit, any foreign fishing vessel in British waters should be given the same treatment as the Belgrano.
Mr President, you will know that the ‘General Belgrano’ Argentinian cruiser was sunk with the loss of more than 300 lives during armed conflict in 1982. I want to point out that, in the UK the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, has strongly denounced these words. Sickening though they are, it may be that this comparison and the suggestion that European fishermen could be killed for fishing in waters that they have used for generations will be dismissed as just words and hyperbole, and that free speech matters – and indeed it does. But the history of Europe shows that words matter. Words can promote friendship and they can foster hatred and division.
Mr President, I hope you will join me in regretting that someone from my country should have chosen to use these words for the latter purpose.
(Applause)
Presidente. – Grazie onorevole Davies, prendiamo atto delle sue considerazioni.
Robert Rowland (NI). – Mr President, thank you for allowing me to speak. First of all, in response to the other MEP, I’d like to make the following comment: I was responding to the verbal assault which you administered to one of my colleagues, June Mummery, after she confronted you outside the Committee on Fisheries, of which you are Chair. You verbally assaulted her, and we are issuing a disciplinary committee warning against you because of that. In regard to my response, it was based on the defence of the British fishing industry, which has been systematically destroyed by the European Union’s policy of pulse fishing, and I will do my utmost to defend British fishermen.
In terms of the language, it was a tongue-in-cheek comment based on the fact that our industry has been decimated. You should not have taken it literally. Of course I’m not implying any form of violence on the high seas, even though we have seen it in 2018 when French and British fishermen did end up with a confrontation on the seas. But I am not suggesting for one minute that British fishermen should engage in any kind of military assault on overseas fishermen. I stand resolutely behind British fishermen and our fishing industry. I will never back down in that quest to defend them.
(Applause from a section of the House)
Claire Fox (NI). – Mr President, one thing that you can say about the British delegation in this part of the House is that we have a sense of humour and know that free speech matters. It’s outrageous, when there are more important things to do, that this House has been used by one of our so-called colleagues from the UK to make cheap points. There are far more important and serious matters that we need to take up.
I defend the right of anyone to say anything, including his right, in fact, to be abusive. Free speech matters and liberty matters. You would do well to take notice of us in the Brexit Party when we say that we’ll defend you. You should stop nit-picking and having a go at us.
This house, as much as it is not democratic, has really got better things to do than the internal rows led by the Liberal Democrats having a go at their colleagues from the UK.